Seven Redmond Gardeners Show Neighbors How It's Done

23rd Annual High Desert Garden Tour

Stroll through some of Redmond's best gardens this Saturday on the High Desert Garden Tour. Photo via OSU Extension Service.

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If you are a gardener who is new to the area, or have recently gotten the itch to start your own garden, you may have heard that the high desert climate makes growing plants difficult.

Don't put your gardening gloves away just yet. Instead, take a walk through some of the most wildly successful gardens in Redmond for inspiration, education, and motivation.

This Saturday, the Oregon State University (OSU) Extension Service and Central Oregon Chapter of OSU Master Gardeners will host the 23rd annual High Desert Garden Tour in Redmond. The self-guided tour takes participants to seven homes with beautifully landscaped yards and developed gardens that demonstrate what can be achieved in the high desert. The local fundraiser supports the local OSU Horticulture Program and helps local gardeners grow their own successful gardens.

Tour co-director Amy Jo Detweiler explains, "The idea is that you're going to walk through someone else's garden and be inspired by something they've done or by an interesting design element."

Master gardeners will be on hand at each location, allowing attendees to connect with experts for education while gaining encouragement from fellow gardeners. A Master Gardener's booth equipped with educational material and fun activities will be stationed at one of the stops along the way, and the OSU Demonstration Garden will be included in this year's tour. It features a wide variety of plant material, all labeled with plant characteristics.

Ticket booklets, which provide directions to and information about each of the gardens, on sale at the OSU/Deschutes County Extension Service office and select locations in Bend, Redmond and Prineville.